MOMENT IN TIME

Ten years ago, the Lymington branch in Hampshire witnessed the end of main line slam-door EMUs.

The end of Lymington ‘Slammers’.

CROWDS of rail fans descended on Brockenhurst, Hampshire, on May 22, 2010 to witness the end of third-rail slam-door EMUs on the national network – the short branch from there to Lymington Pier having been the final outpost of such operations for almost five years.

From the turn of the century, the introduction of new ‘Electrostar’ and ‘Desiro’ EMUs to the third-rail networks south of London had gradually eaten into the remaining fleets of Classes 411 (CEP/BEP), 421 (CIG) and 423 (VEP). South West Trains ran its last main line ‘Slammers’ in May 2005, with South Eastern Trains following that October and finally Southern (formerly South Central) in the November.

That was not the end of the story, however. SWT realised the self-contained nature, and relatively low loadings, of the Lymington branch meant it was cost-effective to carry on using a First Generation unit there rather than one of its new ‘Desiros’. CEP No. 2326 was initially chosen, being reduced to three-cars and renumbered No. 1199 to work the branch from January 2003 to June 2004, then it was replaced by No. 1198 (ex-2314) to November 2004 and No. 1499 (ex-CIG No. 1394) to May 2005.

November 2005 was the deadline for all British trains to have central door locking, so SWT further authorised the conversion of two more CIG units, Nos. 1497 (ex-1883) and 1498 (ex-1888) with guard-controlled door locks, which worked the branch for the next five years until SWT finally had to concede to their withdrawal.

No. 1497 was painted in BR blue/ grey and named Freshwater, while

No. 1498 was painted green and named Farringford. From the new

May timetable in 2010, Class 158 DMUs initially worked the branch on weekdays with a spare ‘Desiro’ covering weekends, but today it is worked all week by a ‘450’.

The fate of Nos. 1199 and 1499 was a date with the scrapman, but Nos. 1198, 1497 and 1498 survive in preservation at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Mid-Norfolk Railway, and Epping Ongar Railway respectively.

Crowds wait to board 3-CIG No. 1497 at Brockenhurst for the short trip to Lymington Pier on May 22, 2010 – the last day of slam-door working. Inset: The trains started carrying a ‘Lymington Flyer’ headboard in their latter days, which was added to on the last day by another that read ‘Slamdoors say farewell to the’. No. 1497 is now preserved at the Mid-Norfolk Railway, and is pictured at Dereham on April 9, 2011. Lymington classmate No. 1498 is at the Epping Ongar Railway.